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1kyleblack
So far getting hooked into Librarything has been a blast! It's really made me consciously consider reading more and also like I see a lot of people mentioning, broadening my reading horizon. It's also turned me into a bit of a databasing freak! Hah. So above and beyond just keeping track of when I finish books here on LT, I've made a spreadsheet and uploaded it to Google-Docs to keep track of my reading progress. So far the list holds 54 books that I'd like to finish this year which I'm sure will expand as people recommend more. These are just ones I've come up with on my own or browsing friends book collections to see what I may need to expand on. Highlights include:
Marcel Proust, I'm about halfway through Swann's Way right now and hope to read the others in the Penguin Deluxe Edition series this year.
Neal Stephenson: I finished Quicksilver so far this year and would like to get through the other two novels in his Baroque cycle.
The third "series" in my list if you want to call them that, is Stephen King's Dark Tower series which has been taking up bookshelf space ever since I was a kid. Of course he didn't finish it until recently, but I joined his book-club (canceled about a year ago) when I was in Jr. High and have many of his books clogging up space. As an English major, my professors would want me to hang my head in shame for hanging onto such a book-a-month writer. But I don't care, I liked him and I'm not gonna hide that. I've heard the rest of the series is good beyond how far I've gotten so I'll finish it.
Otherwise my list is a smattering of Post-Modernism:
Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon, Flann O'Brien, James Joyce, Paul Auster, Jeffrey Eugenides.
Essays on Culture and War:
Klosterman, Chuck-Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, Killing yourself to live
Jared Diamond-Guns, Germs and Steel
I also tried to throw some more women into my list that for some reason I seem to be lacking (this list, not in general). Virginia Woolf, Jodi Picoult for starters. I may decide to read some Amy Tan's newer stuff. (Recommendations in this respect are very welcome)
To see my progress along with fancy-smancy statistics on the top right hand side (spreadsheet form) goto: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p-eVJRVc0UjgzHmFRZSr1bA
The sheet is sorted by Date Finished-->Pages Read So Far-->Author Name in that order to keep it nice and tidy. I hope the statistics such as "Pages off Pace" help me stay on track for achieving my goal. If anyone else would find the spreadsheet useful as well, let me know and I can upload it somewhere or email it to you and you'll be able to safely remove all of my books and just insert your own.
Look forward to sharing my reading adventures for the year with everyone! May all your reading days be without unneeded interruption and your streets free of loud construction.
Marcel Proust, I'm about halfway through Swann's Way right now and hope to read the others in the Penguin Deluxe Edition series this year.
Neal Stephenson: I finished Quicksilver so far this year and would like to get through the other two novels in his Baroque cycle.
The third "series" in my list if you want to call them that, is Stephen King's Dark Tower series which has been taking up bookshelf space ever since I was a kid. Of course he didn't finish it until recently, but I joined his book-club (canceled about a year ago) when I was in Jr. High and have many of his books clogging up space. As an English major, my professors would want me to hang my head in shame for hanging onto such a book-a-month writer. But I don't care, I liked him and I'm not gonna hide that. I've heard the rest of the series is good beyond how far I've gotten so I'll finish it.
Otherwise my list is a smattering of Post-Modernism:
Don DeLillo, Thomas Pynchon, Flann O'Brien, James Joyce, Paul Auster, Jeffrey Eugenides.
Essays on Culture and War:
Klosterman, Chuck-Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, Killing yourself to live
Jared Diamond-Guns, Germs and Steel
I also tried to throw some more women into my list that for some reason I seem to be lacking (this list, not in general). Virginia Woolf, Jodi Picoult for starters. I may decide to read some Amy Tan's newer stuff. (Recommendations in this respect are very welcome)
To see my progress along with fancy-smancy statistics on the top right hand side (spreadsheet form) goto: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p-eVJRVc0UjgzHmFRZSr1bA
The sheet is sorted by Date Finished-->Pages Read So Far-->Author Name in that order to keep it nice and tidy. I hope the statistics such as "Pages off Pace" help me stay on track for achieving my goal. If anyone else would find the spreadsheet useful as well, let me know and I can upload it somewhere or email it to you and you'll be able to safely remove all of my books and just insert your own.
Look forward to sharing my reading adventures for the year with everyone! May all your reading days be without unneeded interruption and your streets free of loud construction.
2kyleblack
So, it seems I don't read nearly as fast as a lot of people on this site. Although I'm also taking a full course load this semester and only began to consider the idea about a week into February as I've already been reading some. Learning German, taking two reading intensive Philosophy courses as well as a Memoir Writing workshop. So maybe that has something to do with it. I have put the few actual book length readings I will be doing for Philosophy into my list, but unfortunately most of the reading is in chunks of short papers. Without further ado, my list thus far is:
January
1. The Novel by James A. Michener (Jan 10, 07)
2. The Road Home by Jim Harrison (Jan 17, 07)
3. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Jan 24, 07)
February
4. Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (Feb 8, 07) (This is also published as 3 separate novels. Keeping as a single for now)
5. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (Feb 16, 07)
6. Barrel Fever by David Sedaris (Feb 18, 07)
Reading NOW:
7. Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk (150/289)
8. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust (195/444)
All finished books I've submitted reviews long or short into LT, not sure how to link them here other than going to the books info page I guess.
Pages Read: 3,078 / 22,118
Books: 6 / 50
13.92% Complete
As of (Mon, Feb 19.) 129 pages ahead of projected goal with 64.12 pages per day averaged, 61.44 pages per day required to complete list.
January
1. The Novel by James A. Michener (Jan 10, 07)
2. The Road Home by Jim Harrison (Jan 17, 07)
3. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Jan 24, 07)
February
4. Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson (Feb 8, 07) (This is also published as 3 separate novels. Keeping as a single for now)
5. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (Feb 16, 07)
6. Barrel Fever by David Sedaris (Feb 18, 07)
Reading NOW:
7. Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk (150/289)
8. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust (195/444)
All finished books I've submitted reviews long or short into LT, not sure how to link them here other than going to the books info page I guess.
Pages Read: 3,078 / 22,118
Books: 6 / 50
13.92% Complete
As of (Mon, Feb 19.) 129 pages ahead of projected goal with 64.12 pages per day averaged, 61.44 pages per day required to complete list.
3kyleblack
7. Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk (Finished) Was good but the setups didn't hit home as hard with their surprises as I was hoping. Review posted to LT.
Reading NOW:
8. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust... Only a handful of pages further than last post. Having a hard time getting in the mood for the second section of this book, Swann in Love I think. Something isn't roping me in. Hopefully I get in the mood moreso soon.
9. The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (70/331) WOW. So far this book has simply captured me and swept me along. A great portrait of a family rigidly snapped into traditions tightly shaped by the early 20th century Austrian-Hungarian empire. Already fresh into it there has been celebrated heroism followed by a life of obscurity and adultery and intrigue. All this written in a masterful style, all of the details of the characters and setting just seep out of the page. I never expected to be as taken with this book as I already am.
Reading NOW:
8. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust... Only a handful of pages further than last post. Having a hard time getting in the mood for the second section of this book, Swann in Love I think. Something isn't roping me in. Hopefully I get in the mood moreso soon.
9. The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (70/331) WOW. So far this book has simply captured me and swept me along. A great portrait of a family rigidly snapped into traditions tightly shaped by the early 20th century Austrian-Hungarian empire. Already fresh into it there has been celebrated heroism followed by a life of obscurity and adultery and intrigue. All this written in a masterful style, all of the details of the characters and setting just seep out of the page. I never expected to be as taken with this book as I already am.
4kyleblack
8. The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (331) This book wrapped up incredibly well and I enjoyed it immensely.
9. A Shropshire Lad by A.E. Housman (51) Although this is a collection of poems, I've included it anyhow as I had to read the whole thing last week and put as much time as I would into a normal novel for my Phil of Lit course.
I've shelved Swann's Way at (221 pages) to finish it at a time when I have more long reading sessions to dedicate to finishing it. Not a book I feel like starting and stopping for short sessions, although it's style does allow for that.
10. The Making of a Philosopher by Colin McGinn (241) A pretty good book that I've read bits and pieces of over the years but finally just sat down and read through it. Just about finished. Recommend it to anyone who wants to understand contemporary philosophy better, both its ideas and the way the academic philosophical world functions.
Reading NOW:
11. Underworld by Don DeLillo (100/832) I've heard it mentioned a lot by friends so I'm finally giving it a read. The first chapters so far have been very well written and paced for a book this size.
As of Today, Monday Feb 26:
Pages Read: 3,955 / 22,995 17.2%
Books: 10/50 20%
Pace: 522 pages ahead of projected goal with 71.91 pages per day averaged, 62.43 pages a day required pace to complete list (with recent additions) totaling 57 books.
My daily pace is slowly averaging out and making up for the fact that I was not reading towards a goal until February 3rd or so as I didn't even know about LT until January 30th.
9. A Shropshire Lad by A.E. Housman (51) Although this is a collection of poems, I've included it anyhow as I had to read the whole thing last week and put as much time as I would into a normal novel for my Phil of Lit course.
I've shelved Swann's Way at (221 pages) to finish it at a time when I have more long reading sessions to dedicate to finishing it. Not a book I feel like starting and stopping for short sessions, although it's style does allow for that.
10. The Making of a Philosopher by Colin McGinn (241) A pretty good book that I've read bits and pieces of over the years but finally just sat down and read through it. Just about finished. Recommend it to anyone who wants to understand contemporary philosophy better, both its ideas and the way the academic philosophical world functions.
Reading NOW:
11. Underworld by Don DeLillo (100/832) I've heard it mentioned a lot by friends so I'm finally giving it a read. The first chapters so far have been very well written and paced for a book this size.
As of Today, Monday Feb 26:
Pages Read: 3,955 / 22,995 17.2%
Books: 10/50 20%
Pace: 522 pages ahead of projected goal with 71.91 pages per day averaged, 62.43 pages a day required pace to complete list (with recent additions) totaling 57 books.
My daily pace is slowly averaging out and making up for the fact that I was not reading towards a goal until February 3rd or so as I didn't even know about LT until January 30th.
5kyleblack
Had a bit of a slow week due to papers and whatnot, coming up on spring break next week though so should hopefully make up for it then. However, I did join the PSU community read for:
11. The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead (272)
I liked the absurd setting of the novel juxtaposed with the real world problems of race, gender and all two-sided thinking for that matter (Intuitionist/Empiricist, democrat/republican) seems to be alluded to in this novel. Look forward to all the seminars and at the end meeting Colson himself in April.
Reading NOW:
12. Underworld by Don DeLillo (300/832) Small interruption due to joining the community read this week and 3 friends all had birthdays this past week but still got a little bit read. Thoroughly enjoying every word in this book and so far think it deserves all the praise it has gotten, even though I picked it up only on a friends recommendation without knowing of its accolades somehow.
As of Today, Monday Mar 5:
Pages Read: 4,427/23,267 19.03%
Books: 11/50 22%
Pace: 353 pages ahead of projected goal with 69.17 pages per day averaged, 63.65 pages a day required pace to complete list (with recent additions) totaling 58 books.
11. The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead (272)
I liked the absurd setting of the novel juxtaposed with the real world problems of race, gender and all two-sided thinking for that matter (Intuitionist/Empiricist, democrat/republican) seems to be alluded to in this novel. Look forward to all the seminars and at the end meeting Colson himself in April.
Reading NOW:
12. Underworld by Don DeLillo (300/832) Small interruption due to joining the community read this week and 3 friends all had birthdays this past week but still got a little bit read. Thoroughly enjoying every word in this book and so far think it deserves all the praise it has gotten, even though I picked it up only on a friends recommendation without knowing of its accolades somehow.
As of Today, Monday Mar 5:
Pages Read: 4,427/23,267 19.03%
Books: 11/50 22%
Pace: 353 pages ahead of projected goal with 69.17 pages per day averaged, 63.65 pages a day required pace to complete list (with recent additions) totaling 58 books.
6kyleblack
12. The Tempest by William Shakespeare (218)
Reading NOW:
13. Underworld by Don DeLillo (550/832)
14. Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis (65/208)
As of Today, Monday Mar 12:
Pages Read: 4,955/22,977 21.57% (Total pages lower now because of buying some books with page counts lower than what I had entered into the list)
Books: 12/50 24%
Pace: 527 pages ahead of projected goal with 69.79 pages per day averaged, 62.36 pages a day required pace to complete list totaling 58 books.
Reading NOW:
13. Underworld by Don DeLillo (550/832)
14. Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis (65/208)
As of Today, Monday Mar 12:
Pages Read: 4,955/22,977 21.57% (Total pages lower now because of buying some books with page counts lower than what I had entered into the list)
Books: 12/50 24%
Pace: 527 pages ahead of projected goal with 69.79 pages per day averaged, 62.36 pages a day required pace to complete list totaling 58 books.
7kyleblack
13. Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis (208)
14. South of the Northeast Kingdom by David Mamet (152)
Reading NOW:
Still haven't finished Underworld... another 100 pages down since last week, just keep picking up too many other small reads and getting hooked on them till the end. Also I found it to be harder to read while "on break" than I had figured it would be. I had fun though.
A bit behind on reviewing what I've read so far, but will get around to doing a bunch at once soon I hope.
As of Today, Tuesday Mar 20:
Pages Read: 5,355/23,129 23.15%
Books: 14/50 28%
Pace: 358 pages ahead of projected goal with 67.78 pages per day averaged, 63.25 pages per day required pace to complete list now totaling 59 books.
14. South of the Northeast Kingdom by David Mamet (152)
Reading NOW:
Still haven't finished Underworld... another 100 pages down since last week, just keep picking up too many other small reads and getting hooked on them till the end. Also I found it to be harder to read while "on break" than I had figured it would be. I had fun though.
A bit behind on reviewing what I've read so far, but will get around to doing a bunch at once soon I hope.
As of Today, Tuesday Mar 20:
Pages Read: 5,355/23,129 23.15%
Books: 14/50 28%
Pace: 358 pages ahead of projected goal with 67.78 pages per day averaged, 63.25 pages per day required pace to complete list now totaling 59 books.
8kyleblack
15. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (235)
16. Underworld by Don DeLillo (832)
17. The Sea and the Mirror by W.H. Auden (106)
Reading Now:
18. Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster (50/304)
19. Marley and Me by John Grogan (starting soon)
As of Today, March 26:
Pages Read: 5,928/23,655 25.06%
Books: 17/50 34%
Pace: 449 pages ahead of projected goal with 69.74 pages per day averaged, 64.46 pages per day required to complete list now totalling 60 books with the addition of Marley and Me to the list this week.
16. Underworld by Don DeLillo (832)
17. The Sea and the Mirror by W.H. Auden (106)
Reading Now:
18. Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster (50/304)
19. Marley and Me by John Grogan (starting soon)
As of Today, March 26:
Pages Read: 5,928/23,655 25.06%
Books: 17/50 34%
Pace: 449 pages ahead of projected goal with 69.74 pages per day averaged, 64.46 pages per day required to complete list now totalling 60 books with the addition of Marley and Me to the list this week.
9laytonwoman3rd
If you're a conventional college student (meaning between the ages of, say, 17 and 24) it's no wonder you can't get into Proust. Most people can't until they hit "middle age", whatever that may be. So don't feel bad about that. As for A Shropshire Lad, never think that a collection of poetry doesn't qualify as a book read. As you have pointed out, it takes time and concentration that many novels or even non-fiction volumes do not require of you.
Happy Reading!
Happy Reading!
10kyleblack
How dare life intervene and slow down my reading speed! This report is so far the "worst" my progress has been. I only got one book read in the last week of March, yet managed to read 8 total for the month. Lets post some month by month recap quick.... (I started the challenge sometime after the 30th of January)
January: 3 books, 1114 pages, 35.94 pages per day...
February: 7 books, 2,741 pages, 97.89 pages per day...
March: 8 books, 2,327 pages, 75.06 pages per day...
And none so far in April. This means including the whole month of April I am at an average of 4.5 books a month (if I read nothing this month, which won't happen) and in order to reach 50 need to read 4 books a month on average. So, going by book I'm still pretty far ahead of the game. It also looks like the challenge has gotten me to double if not triple my "typical" reading pace. I barely watch TV now and avoid sinking lots of time into things like video games. So, goals be damned I've definitely made an improvement on how I spend my free time if anything.
18. Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster (304)
This book was a lot of fun to read. The main character goes through so many transformations from boy to man that the book literally feels like it stretches on as long as most epic 800 pagers but everything is squeezed into a speedily paced and beautifully imagined shorter novel. It follows the adventures of a boy who is taught to levitate through the tutoring of the great Master Yehudi. The less you know about this book though, the more it will charm you and surprise you with its simple and playful approach to life alongside its moments of biting and harsh reality. Great read. I definitely want to read more Auster to see if he is always this vivid.
Reading Now:
I have jumped into the first 20-30 pages on a few novels at the moment, but because the one is from the library I most likely will be finishing Marley and Me by John Grogan before I move on to anything else. Hopefully I get some time to read this week as I have a lot of school assignments to work on as well.
As of Today, April 3:
Pages Read: 6,182/23,655 26.13%
Books: 18/50 36%
Pace: 184 pages ahead of projected goal with 67.2 pages per day averaged, 65.2 required to complete list of 60 books.
January: 3 books, 1114 pages, 35.94 pages per day...
February: 7 books, 2,741 pages, 97.89 pages per day...
March: 8 books, 2,327 pages, 75.06 pages per day...
And none so far in April. This means including the whole month of April I am at an average of 4.5 books a month (if I read nothing this month, which won't happen) and in order to reach 50 need to read 4 books a month on average. So, going by book I'm still pretty far ahead of the game. It also looks like the challenge has gotten me to double if not triple my "typical" reading pace. I barely watch TV now and avoid sinking lots of time into things like video games. So, goals be damned I've definitely made an improvement on how I spend my free time if anything.
18. Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster (304)
This book was a lot of fun to read. The main character goes through so many transformations from boy to man that the book literally feels like it stretches on as long as most epic 800 pagers but everything is squeezed into a speedily paced and beautifully imagined shorter novel. It follows the adventures of a boy who is taught to levitate through the tutoring of the great Master Yehudi. The less you know about this book though, the more it will charm you and surprise you with its simple and playful approach to life alongside its moments of biting and harsh reality. Great read. I definitely want to read more Auster to see if he is always this vivid.
Reading Now:
I have jumped into the first 20-30 pages on a few novels at the moment, but because the one is from the library I most likely will be finishing Marley and Me by John Grogan before I move on to anything else. Hopefully I get some time to read this week as I have a lot of school assignments to work on as well.
As of Today, April 3:
Pages Read: 6,182/23,655 26.13%
Books: 18/50 36%
Pace: 184 pages ahead of projected goal with 67.2 pages per day averaged, 65.2 required to complete list of 60 books.
11kyleblack
Things fell back yet again this week with assignments bogging me down as well as research for a Phil of Lit paper that will be draining my eyes for a few weeks yet. No worries, things are still on pace for 50.
19. Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (115) Really about a chapter from completing this book, but just putting it in as complete so I don't have to put it in twice. Beautiful writing as always from Marquez, and witty and refreshing as well. The subject matter is a bit racey I guess, but done in a tasteful manner.
Reading NOW:
Not sure what I'm going to read next. Marley and Me is due back at the library in two days, so I'm going to have to renew that if I plan on reading it right now. Otherwise I have a stack of books on my shelf always waiting to be cracked open.
As of Today, April 9:
Pages Read: 6,297/23,655 26.62%
Books: 19/50 38%
Pace: 196 pages BEHIND projected goal with 64.26 pages per day averaged, 66.25 required to complete list of 60 books.
New Statistic (for 50 books):
Books Per Month Required: 3.88
Books Per Month Averaged: 4.75
Ahead by 0.88 Books
So, I'm behind in pages for 60 books, but already on pace for all of April for 50 books anyhow. So, things will work out. Just won't be as big a month as Feb and March were. Perhaps it'll turn around, but with graduation looming, things are bound to get even more hectic!
19. Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (115) Really about a chapter from completing this book, but just putting it in as complete so I don't have to put it in twice. Beautiful writing as always from Marquez, and witty and refreshing as well. The subject matter is a bit racey I guess, but done in a tasteful manner.
Reading NOW:
Not sure what I'm going to read next. Marley and Me is due back at the library in two days, so I'm going to have to renew that if I plan on reading it right now. Otherwise I have a stack of books on my shelf always waiting to be cracked open.
As of Today, April 9:
Pages Read: 6,297/23,655 26.62%
Books: 19/50 38%
Pace: 196 pages BEHIND projected goal with 64.26 pages per day averaged, 66.25 required to complete list of 60 books.
New Statistic (for 50 books):
Books Per Month Required: 3.88
Books Per Month Averaged: 4.75
Ahead by 0.88 Books
So, I'm behind in pages for 60 books, but already on pace for all of April for 50 books anyhow. So, things will work out. Just won't be as big a month as Feb and March were. Perhaps it'll turn around, but with graduation looming, things are bound to get even more hectic!
